The Barbican is Europe’s largest multi-arts centre, owned by the City of London Corporation and the home for the London Symphony Orchestra. It is internationally respected and hosts many prestigious artists and performers, but it’s reputation for excellence is being stained. It’s pristine image has been smeared by its cleaning sub-contractor MITIE, as their employed cleaners are protesting that their treatment as workers has been much less than excellent.

On Thursday 21st March, election day for the City of London Common Councilmen,  32 cleaners at the Barbican all of whom are members of the Industrial Workers of Great Britain (IWGB) union, will be going on strike. They claim that this campaign is primarily about ending harassment by management and bullying at work. Last year, a pregnant cleaner at the Barbican was transported to hospital after she was found collapsed and had almost suffered a miscarriage. The IWGB union have taken her case against her employer, MITIE, to an employment tribunal. They claim that the aggressive pressure and ill-treatment she faced at work contributed to her deteriorating health. Her fellow cleaners are continuing their campaign, demanding respect and dignity at work. Some cleaners have described behaviour towards them that is often ‘offensive, intimidating, malicious and insulting’. IWGB claim that the anger among members was clearly demonstrated in their latest strike ballot; 100% voted for strike action on a 71% turnout.

The cleaners are paid, the national minimum wage which is £6.19 per hour,  commute from all over London to start work at 5:30am and then, they claim, face humiliation and harassment from management. IWGB claim that the City of London Corporation, who is the UK’s wealthiest local authority, can afford to pay them a higher wage now. However negotiations through ACAS between the union and the sub-contractor have been ongoing since last year but to little effect. The cleaners strongly believe that they should be paid the London Living Wage of £8.55 per-hour.

Alex Visotsky, a cleaner at the Barbican said:

“MITIE says they don’t have enough money to increase our salary from a poverty wage to a Living Wage but they do have enough money to pay their managers big salaries in order to watch over us and treat us badly. This is our fight and the fight of every worker who wants to be treated with dignity and respect.”

In December 2012, the City of London Corporation revealed that its ‘City Cash’ account held more than £1.3 billion – ‘for the benefit of London as a whole’.  Despite this bank balance, the Corporation maintains its position that the Barbican cleaners have to wait until 2014 before they’ll ‘apply our pro-London Living Wage policy to that contract’.  Similarly at the same time, MITIE, also announced an operating profit of £52.9 million. Awash with money and adorned with the latest facilities, On Thursday as the Barbican Centre attempts to host the Music Education Expo conference for music teachers, it will be undoubtedly be surrounded by the presence and sound of angry and underpaid cleaners.

The main rally is at 1pm and Facebook details are here: https://www.facebook.com/events/434654463282879/437199816361677/